Jerzy Sikora
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jsikora.bsky.social
Jerzy Sikora
@jsikora.bsky.social
950 followers 310 following 1.1K posts
Fornleifafræðingur (mostly medieval) based at University of Łódź (wutɕ). Archaeology, Middle Ages, some photos I take and drawings I make.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Nov 18
I'm always a little worried when I try to introduce myself as an archaeologist of the early Middle Ages, because the early Middle Ages end in Polish historiography around 1250.
We only have the Early and Late Middle Ages. We've lost the High Middle Ages somewhere.
🤷‍♂️
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · 4d
All Saints' Day in my city, Łódź, Poland.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · 5d
We found 11th-century rampart relics below the later #medieval motte castle mound.
And we have to wait for the analyses, especially the radiocarbon dating, to draw more conclusions. This will take until the beginning of next year.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · 5d
After a supplementary survey based on sampling with a motor auger, we can conclude that the ring-fort in #Spycimierz was not built on elevated terrain, which was common for most early medieval strongholds in lowland Poland. It was built on the plain bottom of the river valley.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · 9d
Sampling in #Spycimierz, Central Poland.
Spycimierz is an 11th–13th-century timber ring-fort that was converted into a motte-and-bailey castle in the 14th century.
#archaeology
#medievalsky
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · 13d
Kociarnia
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Oct 7
There are still eight pages to be drawn, as well as the cover picture. 54 finished.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Oct 7
I'm still working on my comic book about Bolesław Krzywousty and the conquest of Pomerania. This time it's a scene from his palace with mural paintings depicting scenes from the Piast dynastic legend. It is slightly based on the Premyslid legend depicted in the round church in Znojmo.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 23
Some scenes:
The investiture of St Adalbert as bishop of Prague.
The prayer of St Adalbert near a Romanesque round church.
The martyrdom of St. Adalbert.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 23
The cathedral's most important medieval monument is the 12th-century Romanesque bronze doors. They are decorated with scenes from the life of St Adalbert.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 23
Late Gothic portals were also made from artificial stone.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 23
The cathedral was restored and regothicised after the Second World War.
The rich late Gothic sculpture decoration of the pillars' capitals and the vaults' ribs was made of artificial stone - was cast in a special mortar. This was a cheap and efficient solution in areas lacking proper stone.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 23
Gniezno Cathedral: Built in the 14th century on the site of a much smaller, older #Romanesque church. It was the seat of the #medieval Archdiocese of #Poland and the country's principal church.
It was reconstructed in the Baroque style in the 17th century after being destroyed by fire in 1760.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 14
Although the excavations in Ostrowite are officially finished for this year, that doesn't mean that our research is over. We still plan to drill a little more. Stay in touch!
#Ostrowite25
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 10
Today, our excavation team found itself at the heart of events connected with the Russian drone attack on Poland. Fortunately, we didn't encounter any drones, but we could observe NATO air force activity over our trench.
#Ostrowite25
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 10
We're still excavating! Just look at this remarkably well-preserved Roman-period brooch!
#Ostrowite2025
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 5
This particular burial is quite typical of the period. It's a nice find, but probably not groundbreaking.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 4
A few pictures from our research in #Ostrowite25.
#archaeology
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Sep 2
It must change! Statistically, younger generations are taller.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Aug 30
She was buried in a way that shows Christian customs had been adopted in the funeral rites, albeit with local modifications. While the cause of her death at a young age is unknown, we do know that her relatives prepared a dignified burial for her.
Research have only begun to shed light on this.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Aug 30
In addition, two S-shaped temple rings, typical head ornaments worn by Western Slavic women, were found close to the heavily damaged skull.
So, this was the burial of a young woman. She was buried shallowly, which is typical of this cemetery.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Aug 30
This is a fragment of an iron knife in a leather sheath that was reinforced and decorated with bronze fittings. Such sheaths were particularly popular among the Western Slavs in the 11th–12th centuries. This one is in extremely poor condition. Conservators will have their work cut out for them.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Aug 30
This was an exception to the medieval pan-European custom of burying the dead west oriented, so that they could see Christ returning to the Earth from the east on the Day of Resurrection.
The grave contained ornaments and personal items.
Here is a ring:
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Aug 30
The skeleton was in a poor state of preservation due to ploughing and bioturbation. The tibia of the left lower limb is not visible in the photograph, but it was found slightly deeper down.
It was arranged on a W-E axis, with the skull on the east side, which is typical of 11th-13th c in Poland.
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Aug 30
Do you remember the skeleton that emerged when the topsoil was removed? We now know a little more about this burial.
Please note that photos of the skeleton will appear below. If you are easily upset, now would be a good time to stop reading.
#Ostrowite25
#archaeology
#medievalsky
🏺
🧵
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Jerzy Sikora @jsikora.bsky.social · Aug 28
Kaszubski smok
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